Both of Us
by Panemaniac124
Summary: My version of the Victory Tour if Katniss really loved Peeta. Would President Snow be able to see that the love between the Star crossed lovers of District 12 isn't an act like it originally was? Reviews would be greatly appreciated as I'm prone to writers block :)
1. Nightmares

_It's dark. But all I can see is the sparkle of Peeta's blue eyes. _

"_Don't worry Katniss, you're safe with me. I promise everything will be okay." He says softly. Suddenly the great boom of the cannon goes off and I can no longer see Peeta's blue eyes. The darkness now turns into a bright light and I am now sitting in what looks like a Capitol Hospital room. I jump out of the bed and search for Peeta, but I can't find him anywhere. So I start screaming his name._

_I run out of the room and down a long narrow hall which seems never ending. _

_I soon reach the end of the hall only to find his tribute jacket lying in front of a large door... covered in blood... his blood._

"_PEETA," I scream again. Soon there are Doctors and Nurses surrounding me, trying to tell me to step away. "NO! WHERE IS HE, I NEED HIM" they are starting to grabbing me and trying to sedate me. Frustrated, I wriggle myself free and push the large door open._

"_KATNISS, NO! LEAVE," he screams from across the room before I see Cato's grossly mauled body stomp to him, grabbing him by the neck and snapping it. Peeta's body lays there limp and lifeless, but there is still a sparkle in his eyes. This only makes me collapse onto the ground in tears, pleading him to come back._

_Now President Snow is in front of me, lifting my head up to look at his puffy, Botox injected face. The smell of roses and blood is overwhelming causing me to gag. Snow lifts up a hand full of Nightlock and simply says "Time for you to join him, Miss Everdeen." Now forcing the berries down my throat._

I wake up screaming with sweat dripping down my forehead and tears streaming down my face. This is not the first time I have dreamt of Peeta Mellark's death. Nightmares like these came and went on a regular basis since I had arrived home from the Capitol.

Prim soon comes rushing into my room, panic painted all over her face. "Katniss, are you alright, I heard you screaming again." She says worriedly. I wipe the sweat from my forehead and tears from my eyes and sit myself up in bed.

"Yes Prim, I'm alright. It's going to take a while to get over the games." I say truthfully. Prim knows that I get the occasional night terror, but she has never experienced me having a continuous streak of horrifying and disturbing images in my sleep.

"I'll go fetch you a glass of water, you seem hot." She offers.

"No Prim, its fine. I'd be getting up soon anyways, you go back to sleep now." I say tucking back a stray hair and tucking it behind her ear.

"Okay. If you see Peeta while you're out tell him I say hi."

I nod and kiss her on the forehead, sending her out of my room and got myself ready.


	2. Authors note

**Hello readers :) hopefully you enjoyed the first chapter. I would just like to mention that I am going to try my hardest to update weekly, but it really depends on how much school work I have. **

Right now I'm plotting the details for the next chapter, I'm trying to make it my own as well as have some main events from Catching Fire, which is when my story is set.

Thank you for reading and if you have any ideas on what you would like me to write about either for this story or if you want me to write about something different please leave a review so I can see your opinions :)

Take care x


	3. In the Woods

As I sit by a tree and wait in the woods for Gale, all I can think about is that dream. The thought of losing Peeta was so unbearable, after what we've been through together; he's the only person (other than Haymitch) who can understand my pain. The nightmares have become too much to handle and I've probably traumatized Prim with the piercing screams in the middle of the night.

Another few moments pass before I hear Gale's voice from behind.

"You're up early."

"Another nightmare." I tell him.

"Again," he says with a concerned look on his face. He sits down next to me before he continues. "What was it this time Catnip?"

I take in a deep breath and sigh. "It was Peeta. Cato came and snapped his neck like he did with the boy from 3. He was covered in blood and just lay on the floor lifeless until Snow came and shoved Nightlock down my throat. It scared me to death."

"Snow's pretty creepy for an old guy."

"Gale," I look him in the eyes when I say "I wasn't scared of Snow. I was scared because Peeta was killed."

Gale scoffs under his breath and he looks as if he is a five year old taking a tantrum.

"Why would you give a damn if baker boy died?" he says abruptly.

"I care about him that's why."

"Oh, right. You care about him, of course you do. Before the games you wouldn't give two hoots if he passed you on the street but now you two are all loved up ain't you."

This is a side of Gale I have never seen before. In all our time of being there for each other, he has never said two words in this tone before. There is definitely a combination of anger and jealousy in his tone. Jealous, Gale was jealous of Peeta. The cogs in my mind are spinning rapidly trying to figure out what Gale was jealous for.

"Yes Gale. I _do_ care about him. What's gotten into you lately, I don't understand you anymore."

"You don't understand me?" he starts to laugh mockingly. "I don't understand _you._ You say you care about him when you don't even know him Katniss! I swear the Capitol has changed you. I'm not sure where Katniss is but I'm very sure I don't like the Girl on Fire."

I laugh trying to lighten up the conversation, "Well I'm sure I don't like jealous Gale." I say jokingly.

"Fine, you want to hear it from me. I'm jealous of that soppy baker boy. There I said it."

"You're jealous of Peeta? Wh-w-why?" I ask surprised, open my mouth slightly in shock of what Gale had just said. I wasn't quite sure what he was jealous of at first but he's jealous of Peeta.

"You want to know why? Because I've known you a lifetime and he's known you for like 5 days or whatever then you two are smooching across everyone's TVs," I forgot about what happened in the cave, back home everyone had said to the camera crews that Gale was my cousin because many people thought him and I were _involved_. But because of what happened with Peeta and I they had to cover it up.

Did Gale want to be with me? I wasn't quite processing the information yet. There's a small silence before he continues. "It should have been me in that cave with you. Not that stupid-dumbass-wears-his-heart-on-his-sleeve lover boy."

I'm hurt by what he has just called Peeta. I look away from Gale and focus on a budding dandelion, just like the one I saw after Peeta gave me the bread that saved my family. "Don't call him stupid." I say dryly.

Gale takes his hand and moves my head so that I am looking at him. I don't want to look at him. He stares into my eyes and before I know it, his lips are on mine and I try desperately to push him off. Panicking, I start to hit his chest repetitively in an attempt to get him away. Soon he breaks the kiss and I dart up off the ground.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" I scream insanely.

He gets up off the ground too so that we are both eye level. Outraged at the situation, before Gale has the chance to explain my hand flies across his face leaving a red hand shape in its place.

Now I'm too embarrassed to face him. Immediately I make a run for the fence and back into town.

I run for a while until I can't breathe. I find refuge underneath a tree on the merchant side of town and suddenly overwhelming smells of pastries and cakes fill up my nostrils until I realise this is the last place - other than the woods – that I want to be right now. But it's too late to move, he's spotted me and is coming my way...


	4. My Baker Boy

Peeta smiles and walks over to me. His forehead lightly covered in flour from wiping away sweat from his head. His hands wear covered too but he soon wiped it off on his apron.

"Hey Katniss, long time no see." He says chuckling softly. I haven't seen or spoken to him since the cameras had left us at the train station, which was when I told him every romantic gesture I gave him in the cave was only to keep us alive. I felt horrible for leaving him that way, but in some way he must have realised it was too good to be true.

I give a small chuckle in reply. "Oh, right. About that... I feel terrible about how we left things at the station, I really do."

He slides down next to me, sighing as he does. "I don't blame you Katniss. I sort of suffocated with my feelings and you had to play along to save our lives. In all honesty, it was the best game of pretend I've ever played,"

I don't understand how he can seem so calm about this. I practically broke his heart into a million tiny pieces and he can still love me. It's amazing how he can find the right words to say in any situation. I think that's what I love most about him. Other than his beautiful blue eyes, when he saved me with the bread, his soft lips when we- No. Why am I thinking like this!

"It wasn't pretend on your part Peeta. You're the one who really loved me." I say looking into his eyes.

"I still love you. Even though I know you can't feel the same way as I do, I love you." He runs his fingers through his golden locks. Every compliment he gives me, I can't seem to accept it but this time it gives me a small blush and I can feel my cheeks growing redder by the minute.

Peeta struggles to get himself up off of the ground, so I dart up and grab his hands to help him. Once up he stumbles a little trying to balance himself but I still have hold of his hands to give him extra balance. He looks down at our hands and with his thumbs caresses mine. It sends tingles up my spine and the blush on my face is surely to be the colour of a tomato by now.

"Do you want to come in? It's getting a little cold." He asks, still caressing my hands. I can still smell the delicacies coming from the bakery and I simply smile.

"Do you have any cheese buns?" I ask with a grin on my face. And with that he leads me off into the bakery with his arm around my waist. We still have to keep up the star crossed lovers' act which I can't stand because there are usually cameras, but this time I don't mind.

Once inside the bakery, the warmth from the ovens wash over my face and I inhale the heavenly smells that surround me. Peeta gestures for me to come behind the counter where there are two bar stools for us to sit. He goes into the kitchen and comes back with two mugs of tea and two plates. He takes a few selections from the counter and places them on a plate and hands it to me.

"I think you like feeding me" I say with a small laugh.

He smiles remembering the time with the bread. "I just like to see you happy. You didn't look so happy sitting at the tree so I'm trying to make you smile again." It's truly amazing how he noticed I wasn't happy, then again, I don't smile too often.

"Well it wasn't much of a good morning." I say biting into the warm cheese bun.

"Why? What's wrong? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He says with a concerned look on his face as he sips on his tea. Right now, Peeta is the only person I feel like I could tell anything in the world - including what happened in the woods this morning.

I sigh slowly before I start to speak, thinking of how to explain the situation.

"Gale. He... Well. He kissed me" I bury my face into my hands replaying the unwanted kiss in my head.

"Did you... Want him to kiss you?" I can tell the pain in his voice thinking of Gale and me kissing. It must be killing him.

"No. I was angry at him. I tried to get him off but I couldn't. He had too much of a grip on me and I could barely breath," I look up at Peeta who now looks furious that Gale had used force to kiss me. He was so protective of me that he put his plate and tea aside and held me in his arms. He could see I was upset about the incident and I could feel myself about to cry.

I buried my head in his chest and wrapped my arms around his body. "Then I slapped him." I mumbled into his chest. He gave a chuckle and released me from his hug.

"That's the Katniss I know." His eyes seemed to sparkle as they found mine and he smiled from ear to ear as he sat back down in his seat.

I feel so close to him right now. There are no cameras, no subliminal messages from Haymitch. Just us. The more I look into his eyes, the more I find myself falling for him. I can't believe I'm saying this but, I think I love the boy with the bread...

Before I do something completely stupid, I have to leave to gather my thoughts. "I think it's best if I go now. Thanks for the buns, it was delicious." I make my way to the door but stops me by saying asking,

"Do you want to take some home for your mom and Prim? I think Prim would like the flower cookies." He says as he puts and assortment of cookies and buns into a brown paper bag. I accept the bag and he walks me out.

As I start to walk away, I feel as if I have to mention;

"He was jealous. Gale. That's why he kissed me," I say with a grin. He turns around to look at me looking puzzled. "Don't worry; he's not as good of a kisser as you."

I see his jaw drop and I give him a slight wink as I wave goodbye and walk away, leaving a completely love struck baker behind.


	5. Thoughts

My train of thought was clouded my whole journey home. All I thought about was the emotions running through me as I talked to Peeta in the bakery. I enjoyed talking to him. After the time we spent apart once the cameras had finally left, seeing Peeta again felt refreshing.

When I got into my house, I made my way to the kitchen and put the baked goods onto a tray on the countertop. Soon the aroma of the bread and pastries filled the whole house. _I guess I won't be able to stop thinking about Peeta anytime soon, _I thought to myself, and it was true. For the rest of the day all I could think about is how I felt when I saw him again. How his smile could light up a whole room. How he was just so genuinely sweet and how he actually cared about people. How I care about him...

The very next day, I wake up early from a typical nightmare. Or at least what I think was a nightmare, it's the very first time I haven't remembered one. I decide to get up and treat myself to a cheese bun for and early breakfast. I took it with a glass of milk and sat down at the couch with it. Taking the remote control for the TV, I switch it on just to fill the silence in the house. Honestly I have to focus my mind on something other than Peeta, like it has done for the past day.

I suddenly regret switching it on in the first place...

Caesar Flickerman pops up on screen alongside Claudius Templesmith and is talking about the 74th Victory Tour which is only a few weeks away. My skin crawls at the thought of going to the Districts of the children that... _I killed._

It looks like another presenter from the Capitol has joined the two men to talk about fashion. She is a rather plump woman with dark skin and short red, spiky (literally there are spikes coming out of her head) hair and has what looks like rubies or red crystals on her lips. She is wearing what looks like a dress made out of a large shaggy rug.

"Now, Caesar," she begins. "I am raving about the District 12 stylist, Cinna. Especially with the costumes for the tributes parade!" She trills on about how ravishing and astonishing his designs are – and I don't disagree – but I'm caught off guard when she starts talking about wedding dresses.

"Katniss would be absolutely stunning if she wear to wear a wedding dress by Cinna! Don't you agree?"

"I believe Miss Everdeen would be stunning in anything designed by the one and only Cinna. And I'm very sorry to cut it short Ms. Henro but that is all the time we have for now. Enjoy your regular programming." Caesar gives a flashy smile before the seal of Panem replaces the screen.

_Why in the world would they bring up wedding dresses? _ I soon finish off my early breakfast and decide to try and get a little bit more sleep. It only takes a few minutes before I fall into a deep sleep.

_I can hear music playing softly in the background. The traditional wedding song that you hear the little girls singing when they tend to play bride and groom is playing._

"_Here comes the bride, all dressed in white."_

"_Radiant and lovely as she shines in his sight"_

_Who's getting married? I wonder as I walk forwards to get a clearer view. _

_A fuzzy outline soon appears of the groom but I still can't see. I walk closer. And closer. And closer. Until I'm right in front of the groom. The groom is... Peeta. I look down only to realise that I'm in a wedding dress. I'm getting married. To Peeta. He holds out his hand and I think he's going to give me the wedding ring, but when he opens his hand... _

_It's nightlock!_

I wake suddenly. My heart is pounding against my chest. Now I know why I pulled the berries.

Because I love Peeta Mellark...


End file.
